Apparatus for making cakes

ABSTRACT

Cake is continuously baked without the use of baking pans by the extrusion of batter into a shaped baking chamber disposed in a microwave cavity. The product is moved through the baking chamber by maintaining the batter under pressure, by the use of conveyors, or by a reciprocating piston. In one embodiment, a filled cake product is produced by continuously and concurrently extruding a confectionery material into a cavity formed in the cake product during the baking process.

State's. .1 3

miffjl 3,795,18

. 41 A PARATUS FQRMAKING'CA'KES 7 5 [.75] inventors: Howard Roth, Bronx;Robert Schiflmann, Brooklyn; Harold B. 9 Kaufman, Jr., New York; John:H.

MoyenGarden City, allof [73] Assignee: DCA- Food Industries, Inc., New

York, NY. 7 2-2 Filed: June 28,1971 211 Appl, No; 157,232 5 Related US.Application Data 1969, abandoned.

' [s2 U.S. 99/355, 99/451, 425/97, 1

l 1511 1111. c1. "A2111 slow-A211) 2/00- [58] FieldofSearch-.;;;....99/353, 354, ,450.6,450.7, 99/451; 197/55 R; 425/97 174- ,8 R,56 ReierencesCited I g UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 ;'3 505,948' 4/1970Car-rectal. 99 353 63] Continuation-impart of Ser. NoL':$36,3 85,' JuneiZS',

2,814,708 11/1957 Blass ..-2l9/l0.55 R

518,942 5/1894 Duhrkop. 425/97 I 3,256,838 6/1966 Booras.... 99/3533,374,729 3/1968 Owens 99/353 3,494,723 2/1970 'Gray 99/451 X 2,014,3849/1935 Krut'tschnitt.... 99/353 X Primary Examiner-Robert W. JenkinsAssistant ExaminerAlan I. Cantor I Attorney, Agent, 'or Firm-Amster &Rothstein 57 ABSTRACT Cake is continuously baked without the use ofbaking. pans by-the. extrusion of batter into a shaped baking chamberdispose'din a microwave cavity. The product is, moved through the bakingchamber by maintaining the batter under pressure, by the use ofconveyors, or

by a reciprocating piston. In one embodiment, a filled vcake productisproduced by continuously and concurrently extruding a confectionerymaterial into a cavity formed in the cake product during the bakingprocess.

, 15 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Pmmmm 51914 3.795.183

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INVENTOR FIG. 9. v Hon/mop R076 E7344 ATTORN EYS 1 APPARATUS FOR MAKINGCAKES No. 836,385 filed June 25, 1969 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to apparatus for the production of bakeryproducts. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with thecontinuous and automatic production of snack cake items.

In the manufacture of cakes, such as cupcakes or other snack items, itis conventional to use multi-cavity pans and batch-type processing. Insuch processes, a

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross sectional view, in partial section, of analternate extruding and baking apparatus utilizing and endless beltconveyor;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of another form of theinvention embodying an endless belt method for continuous production ofcake products.

large number of pans are greased or otherwise prepared for the receptionof baking dough; the dough is disposed in the pans; and the pans areplaced in an oven and baked for from 20 to 40 minutes. This method ofproducing cakes is quite costly since it requires large ovens andextensive handling, maintenance and replacement of bakery pans.Moreover, in

' batch-type processing there is a constant need for adjustment ofbaking conditions particularly when starting up or shutting down thebaking process. Such conditions, although extremely critical,.aredifficult to control when working with large ovens in which there t is asubstantial lag time between the adjustment of conditions and the actualattainment of those conditions within the oven. Batch-type processing isalso extremely unwieldly and expensive where the cake will ultimately befilled with a confection such as butter creme or jelly since suchfilling requires separate processing, afterbaking, in which the cakesare slit or punctured and filled.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for thecontinuous production of cakes.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for thecontinuous production of cake items without the utilization of bakingpans.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide apparatus forthej'continuous production of filled cake items in a single processingstep.

These and other objects are accomplished by the continuous extrusion ofcake batter through a specially designed combination of extrusion andbaking apparatus. The present invention contemplates the continuousextrusion of a fluid cake batter through a baking tube disposed in amicrowave cavity under carefully FIG. 2 is a schematic representation,in partial section of an apparatus for extruding, baking and filling acake product in a single operation;

FIG. 3, 4 and are cross sectional views of alternate embodiments of theextrusion tube of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of an alternative embodiment of thebaking apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of another form of the invention embodyingapparatus for extruding, baking and filling a cake product in a singleoperation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and in particular FIG. Ithere is shown a pressurized reservoir 10 capable of holding a largevolume of cake batter 11. The reservoir is provided with a pressure cap12-and conventional means 13 forv applying and regulating the pressurewithin the reservoir. The batter 11 under the influence of pressuresupplied via means 13 is forced through a conduit 14 into an extrusionnozzle 15.

Extrusion nozzle 15 is adjacent to a baking chamber 16 disposed in abaking apparatus oroven l7 comprising a microwave cavity in'whichintense rapid heating is achieved by means of. a microwave energy powersource schematically represented at 18. Although the present inventionis not limited to the use of a particular type of microwave cavity, onetypical cavity is described in US. Pat. 2,814,708 issued Nov. 26, 1957.Qther microwave cavities or chambers, e.g., cavities employing foldedwave guides or slow wave couplers may also be employed. The fluid cakebatter 11 passes through the nozzle into the vertically disposed bakingchamber, desirably cylindrical in configuration, where gelation of thebatter and setting of the crumb occurs and exits from the opposite endof the baking chamber as a solid rod of baked cake. Thereafter the cakeis cut into individual segments 19 by slicing means 20 which causes theindividual segments to be deposited on an inclined plane 21 andthereafter onto conveyor 22 where they are conveyed to furtherprocessing'and packaging.

- The materials of construction and positioning of the above describedbaking and extruding apparatus are important features of the invention.Baking chamber 16 is constructed of a microwave transparent materialwhich permits the microwave energy to pass into the cake batter whichabsorbs microwave energy and converts it to heat, e.g., glass, ceramicssuch as pyroceram,

.or plastics. While FIG. 1 illustrates a baking chamber product to stickto the walls of the baking chamber.

Typical materials for this purpose are fluorinated hydrocarbon polymerssuch as Teflon.

The length of the baking chamber is also a significant factor. Bakingchamber 16 is longer vertically than oven 17 so that it extends arelatively short distance beyond the oven at the exit end. This permitscontinuous application of microwave energy while the baked cake exitsfrom the microwave cavity. The cake, still a good absorber of microwaveenergy serves to minimize the amount of energy escaping through the portin the side of the microwave cavity.

When the apparatus is constructed and positioned as described above awide variety of cake batters and conditions can be selected for thecontinuous production of cake product. A typical batter comprises milk,flour, shortening, sugar, whole egg, baking powder, salt and flavor inconventional proportions. This fluid batter is fed to the bakingchamber'at a rate dependentper hour or alternatively. a rate which wouldresult in a batter residence time within the oven of 5 to I20 secondsdependent upon the energy input to the microwave cavity. 7

In a typical example of thc invention a batter consist-' ing of partsmilk, 30 parts flour, 13 parts shortening,

25 parts sugar, 15 parts whole egg, 1 part baking powder, 0.5 parts saltand 0.5 parts flavor is extruded at a rate of pounds per hour byexerting pressure on the j batter in the reservoir. This rate results'ina 30 second apparatus includes a batter reservoir 23 having apressurecap 24, means 25 for controlling the pressure and a flow pipe 26leading to an extrusion nozzle 27, all as previously described withrespect to the embodiment shown in FIG. ll. In addition, the apparatusis provided with a baking chamber 28 abutting and overlapping v theextrusion nozzle 27 and disposed in a microwave cavity 29- all inessentially the same fashion and for the same purposes as previouslydescribed with respect to the apparatus of FIG. 1. Extrusion nozzle 27is provided with a space through which centrally extends a tube 30. Oneend of the tube 30 is attached by means of a continuation 31 of tube 30to a second pressurized reservoir 32 containing a confectionery fillingsuch as jelly, butter creme or the like. Alternatively, the reservoircould contain a second cake batter in lieu of a confectionery material,e.g., when it is desired to produce a multi-cake product. The reservoir32 has a pressure cap 33 and means 34 for applying and controlling thepressure whereby the flow of confection is regulated. The end of tube30, indicated as nozzle 35 in FIG. 2, is critically positioned withinthe baking chamber 28. Confectionery material emanating from the nozzle35 forms a filling 36 in the baked cake product 37. The confectioneryfilling fills the void in the baked cake product formed by the presenceof tube 30 in the baking chamber 28. The nozzle is positioned within thebaking chamber so that-the confection enters the cake after the cake isat least partially set by the baking process so that the void formed bytube 30 is well defined. Preferably, the nozzle will be positioned nearor at the exit point of the chamber 28, so that the confectionerymaterial will not be subject to prolonged or intensive heating. Suchheating would destroy or impair its taste and texture in the finalproduct.

The heat sensitivity of the confectionery material is also a criticalfactor in the selection of the materials from which the tube. 30 isconstructed. It is essential that the tube be constructed of materialswhich reflect microwaves, i.e., materials'that will not pass the micro,waves to which the batter in the baking chamber is being subjected inthe instances where heat sensitivity of the confection is a problem.Thus, the'pipe -30 should be made of the metallic materials previouslydescribed in connection with extrusion nozzle 15. By the utilization ofsuch materials, only that small amount of heat which passes through thetube 30 by conduction will reach the confectionery material and thisheat can be furtherreduced by increasing the thickness of the pipewalls. In a preferred embodiment the tube 30 has its outer walls coatedwith a non-sticking surface such as a fluorinated hydrocarbon polymer,e.g., teflon, so

as to prevent sticking of the partially baked cake product to the wallsof thetube. 7

It will readily occur to those persons skilled in the art that in'alternative forms of the invention the tube 30 may serve as a bakingchamber for a second baked product. In those instances the tube will becon structed of materials which are transparent to micro waves, asheretofore described; I 7

FIG. 3, 4 and 5 are alternate forms of ,the extrusion tube 30illustrated and described in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, the tube 38 is of a flateliptical shape and the confection is distributed in the eliptical voidformed within the cake product disposed between the baking chamber 28and the outer wall of the nozzle 38. In FIG. 4, the tube 39 is of aspiral configuration and theconfection will be distributed in the finalbakedfproduct, within the spiral void formed in the cake product.Confectionery extrusion apparatus; of the type co'nternplated for use inthe present invention are fully described in Fries, et al., US. Pat. No.3,314,381 issued Apr. 18, 1967. It will be evident to persons skilled inthis art that a variety of tube shapes can be adopted depending onlyupon the amount and distribution of the confection desired in the finalproduct and that the baking chamber may also take on a variety ofshapes.

In lieu of the extrusion tube 30,38 or 39, a cylinder such as 40 in FIG.5 may be inserted within the baking tube. In this embodiment the bakedproduct will be extruded in the form of a hollow cake which, insubsequent processing steps, may be filled with ice cream or otherfrozen confection.

A preferred embodiment of the apparatus described in FIGS. l and 2 isdepicted in FIG. 6. In this embodiment additional means are provided forcontinuously greasing the baking chamber so as to prevent sticking ofthebaked product. FIG. 6 illustrates the extrusion nozzle and bakingchamberpreviously described in detail with respect to FIG. 2 includingan extrusion nozzle 41 abutting a baking chamber 42 and having a batterinlet pipe 43 and a confection extrusion tube 44 disposed in the nozzleand extending into the baking chamber. The nozzle 41 has an additionalinlet port 45 leading to spray nozzle 46 disposed around the innercircumference of the abutting baking chamber 42.

Leading to said inlet port 45 is a pipe 47 which contains an ediblelubricant which will be continuously sprayed on the inner surface of thebaking chamber. In the em- 48 a reservoir 43 of the edible lubricant.The pressurized air rushing through pipe 47 creates a partial vacuum atits juncture with pipe 48 thereby taking up the lubricant in the airstream which is emitted in aerosol form through spray nozzles 46.

FIG. it) illustrates a modified form of the invention described in FIGS.1-6 wherein the movement of the batter through the baking chamber isassisted by physical means and baked goods are produced on a continuousbasis. In this embodiment, cake batter is fed from a reservoir (notshown) as previously described and illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, througha conduit 70 to an inlet opening or discharge nozzle 72 in a bakingchamber 74. The chamber is disposed in a baking apparatus or oven 76comprising a microwave cavity. In-

.tense rapid heating is achieved by means of a microi will be more fullydescribed hereinafter. The outlet end of baking chamber 74 is providedwith an outlet opening 86 and a closure member 88 which is movablebetween a closed position as shown in FIG. and an i open position inwhich the closure member is moved to a position which does not obstructthe outlet opening 86 of baking chamber 74 and permits the cake formedin the baking chamber to exit therefrom and be carried away by asuitable conveyor (not shown). Both the slideable member 80 and theclosure member 88 are constructed of microwave reflective materials.

In the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 10 to continuously producebaked goods, a pre-determined charge of cake batter is permitted to flowinto the baking chamber, the chamber and cavity are sealed off at theirrespective opposite ends by the slideable member 80 and the closuremember 88 to eliminate microwave leakage, the microwave cavity isenergized for a time sufficient to accomplish baking of the batter, themicrowave cavity is de-energized, the closure member at the oulet end ofthe baking chamber is opened and the slideable member is moved throughthe baking chamber to push out the finished baked product. As will bedescribed more fully hereinafter by the use of suitable timing deviceswhich are well known in the art, the

above-described cycle may be automatically synchronized and continuouslyrepeated to continuously produce finished baked goods.

The amount of batter charged to the baking chamber in each cycle willdepend upon the size and shape of the baking chamber and will beselected so that upon gelation of the batter and setting of the crumb,the cake formed will fill and be shaped by the chamber. Ordinarily, thevolume of batter charged will be 40 to 60 percent, e.g., 50% of thechamber volume, although changes in the nature of the batter compositionmay require a greater or lesser volume.

The manner in which the pre-determined charge of batter is fed to thebaking chamber, is a critical feature of this embodiment of theinvention. Unless the flow of batter in conduit 70 is properly insulatedfrom the source of microwave'energy during the baking cycle,

the batter in the conduit will also be baked and clog the system. Thepresent invention avoids this problem by virtue of the movement ofpiston 80 which is constructed of a microwave reflective material to aposition which completely blocks the inlet nozzle 72 as well as theinlet end of the baking chamber after the pre-determined charge ofbatter has been fed to the baking chamber. In addition, those portionsofbatter conduit 70 which may be exposed to the microwaves areconstructed of or covered with suitable microwave reflective material.

It will be obvious to those persons skilled inthe art that suitabletiming circuits which are dependent uponv the required residence time ofthe batter in the baking chamber and the required flow time of thebatter through conduit 70 may be devised so that the movement of piston80, the flow of batter through conduit 70, the flow of microwave energy,and the movements of closure member 88 will occur in propersequence.FIG. 10 includes an illustration of a control means 94 and controlarrows 96, 98, 100, 102, and 104, representative of suitable timingcircuits,for controlling the sequence of operations. In accordance withthat sequence, batter will be permitted to flow to baking chamber 74 fora predetermined time-interval based upon the flow rate of the batter andthe amount of batter desired in the baking chamber, whereupon the piston80 will be actuated and will be moved a distance sufficient to blockdischarge nozzle 72. In addition, the flow of batter from the reservoirmay optionally be interrupted' either by the movement of the pistonfordetermined time interval sufficient to bake the batter.

When the pre-determined time interval has elapsed, the closure member 84will be actuated to the open position and simultaneously therewith, thepiston will move forward through the baking chamber thereby removing thefinished baked product from the chamber.

Subsequently, the piston is withdrawn to its original position therebyreactuating the flow of batter to the I baking chamber and recommencingthe cycle.

The apparatus of FIG. 10 may also be provided with a confectioneryfilling tube of the type and construction previously described inconnection with FIGS. 2

and 6 of the invention. In one preferred embodiment, theconfectioneryfilling tube may pass through a hole 92 provided in piston80 and will terminate within the baking chamber near its outlet end. Theconfection reservoir (not shown) may be equipped with a valve or otherfeed device actuatedby an appropriate timing circuit so that the flow ofconfectionery material is synchronized with the movement of the piston80 through the baking chamber and the void created by the confectionerytube is filled with confectionery fluid as the baked cake exits from thechamber.

Although not illustrated in FIG. 10, it will also be obvious that manyof the features described with respect to the embodiments of theinvention illustrated in FIGS l-6, may be employed in this embodiment.For example, the piston may be adapted for lubricating the bakingchamber during the reverse stroke cycle of the piston after havingpushed out the finished baked product. Similarly, any of the varioussizes and shapes of confectionery filling tubes and baking chamberspreviously described are also useful in this embodiment.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a continuousbaking and extrusion apparatus which employ an endless belt extrudingand baking apparatus. In those embodiments the utilization of bakingpans has also been eliminated and a high degree of quality control maybe achieved by continuous visual observation of the baked product at theexit of the conveyor.

FIG. 7 illustrates a. batter extrusion nozzle 50 having a pipe 51leading from a pressurized batter reservoir (not shown). An extendedportion 52 of the nozzle 50 is disposed in baking chamber 53 which isdisposed within a microwave cavity 54. The nozzle, baking chamber andcavity are constructed of the same materials and positioned in generallythe same relationship with respect to each other as previously describedwith respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2. Un-

like the previous embodiments, however, the baking chamber 54 ispreferably horizontally disposed in the microwave cavity and has a pairof endless belt conveyors 55 and 56 passing therethrough. As best seenin FIG. 8 conveyors 55 and 56 pass through baking chamber 53, which ispreferably cylindrical, and are contorted thereby so as to assume theshape of the baking chamber. The width of the conveyor belts is selectedso that after being drawn into the baking chamber each conveyor beltwill conform to one-half of the inner circumference 'of the bakingchamber and t0- gether form a cylinder 57 into which the fluid batter isstructed of a conventional rubberized fabric, e.g., neoprene impregnatedcloth. In a preferred embodiment the fabric is coated with a nonsticksurface such as tef- [on or the like and as mentioned is microwavetransparent.

FIG. 9 illustrates an additional embodiment for the continuousproduction of baked products. In this embodiment a pair of parallelconveyor belts 58 and 59, constructed of materials previously describedherein, are drawn together through a pair of microwave transparentparallel plates 60 and 61 which define a baking chamber disposed in amicrowave cavity. The conveyor belts are each relatively thick and areprovided with matable, shaped hollows 63 and 64 molded into theirthickess so that when they are brought together within the bakingchamber the hollows will be aligned and form a mold that will impart itsshape to the cake batter. The batter is deposited by nozzle 65 onconveyor belt 59 prior to its entry into the baking chamber.

The baked product conforming to the shape of the mold will becontinuously removed from the exit end of the baking chamber (not shown)when the conveyor belts separate so as to open a mold. v

It will readily occur to those persons skilled in the art that a numberof variations and modifications can be made without departing from thetrue scope of the invention which will not be pointed out in theappended claims.

' What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for the production of baked goods comprising a nozzlehaving a discharge opening and adapted to extrude a fluid batter,'abaking chamber positioned relative to the discharge end of said nozzleto receive said batter, said baking chamber being constructed ofmicrowave transparent material, a microwave cavity, said baking chamberbeing disposed in said cavity and pressure means for moving said batterthrough said nozzle and said baking chamber to form a baked product.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said baking chamber isvertically disposed in said cavity.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said baking chamber is acylindrical tube which passes through said cavity and extends beyondsaid cavity at its exit end. a

4. Apparatus according to claim l including lubricant spray meanspositioned around the outer circumference of said nozzle dischargeopening whereby the inner walls of said baking chamber are lubricated.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a shaped member disposedwithin said baking chamber and extending axially therethrough to definea hollow in said baked product.

6. Apparatus according to claim '5 in which said shaped member isconstructed of a microwave reflective material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said shaped member is tubularand has an outlet end for emitting confectionery fluid into the hollowformed in said baked product, said outlet end being positionedsubstantially at the point of exit of said baking chamber from saidcavity and fluid pressure means for moving confectionery fluid throughsaid tubular member to fill said hollow in said baked product.

8. Apparatus for the production of baked goods comprising a nozzlehaving a discharge opening and adapted to extrude a fluid batter,a-baking chamber positioned relative to the discharge end of said nozzleto receive said batter, said baking chamber having an open outlet endand being constructed of microwave transparent material, meansfortemporarily closingoff the inlet end of said baking chamber, saiddischarge opening of said nozzle and said outlet end of said bakingchamber, a microwave cavity, said baking chamber being disposed in saidcavity, means for moving said batter through said nozzle into saidbaking chamber, means for activating said microwave cavity after saiddischarge opening and said inlet and outlet ends of said baking chamberare closed, means for reopening said outlet end of said baking chamberand de-activating said cavity and means for removing the baked productformed in said baking chamber from said chamber.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said closure means areconstructed of microwave reflective material.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said closure means for saidnozzle is a slideable member positioned within said baking chamber:

lll. Apparatus-according'to claim 10 wherein said means for removingsaid baked product from said baking chamber is said slideable member.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 including a shaped member disposedwithin said baking chamber and extending axially therethrough to definea hollow in said baked product. a

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said shaped member isconstructed of microwave reflective material.

to receive said batter, said baking chamber having an open outlet endand being constructed of microwave transparent material, a moveableclosure member for said outlet end, a slideable member mounted in saidbaking chamber and adapted to close off the inlet end of said bakingchamber, a microwave cavity, said baking chamber being located in saidcavity and control means for sequentially admitting a predeterminedamount of batter through said discharge opening, sealing off said bakingchamber, activating said microwave cavity for a time sufficient to bakesaid batter, and

moving said slideable member through said chamber.

1. Apparatus for the production of baked goods comprising a nozzlehaving a discharge opening and adapted to extrude a fluid batter, abaking chamber positioned relative to the discharge end of said nozzleto receive said batter, said baking chamber being constructed ofmicrowave transparent material, a microwave cavity, said baking chamberbeing disposed in said cavity and pressure means for moving said batterthrough said nozzle and said baking chamber to form a baked product. 2.Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said baking chamber isvertically disposed in said cavity.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 inwhich said baking chamber is a cylindrical tube which passes throughsaid cavity and extends beyond said cavity at its exit end.
 4. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 including lubricant spray means positioned aroundthe outer circumference of said nozzle discharge opening whereby theinner walls of said baking chamber are lubricated.
 5. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 including a shaped member disposed within saidbaking chamber and extending axially therethrough to define a hollow insaid baked product.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which saidshaped member is constructed of a microwave reflective material. 7.Apparatus according to claim 5 in which said shaped member is tubularand has an outlet end for emitting confectionery fluid into the hollowformed in said baked product, said outlet end being positionedsubstantially at the point of exit of said baking chamber from saidcavity and fluid pressure means for moving confectionery fluid throughsaid tubular member to fill said hollow in said baked product. 8.Apparatus for the production of baked goods comprising a nozzle having adischarge opening and adapted to extrude a fluid batter, a bakingchamber positioned relative to the discharge end of said nozzle toreceive said batter, said baking chamber having an open outlet end andbeing constructed of microwave transparent material, means fortemporarily closing off the inlet end of said baking chamber, saiddischarge opening of said nozzle and said outlet end of said bakingchamber, a microwave cavity, said baking chamber being disposed in saidcavity, means for moving said batter through said nozzle into saidbaking chamber, means for activating said microwave cavity after saiddischarge opening and said inlet and outlet ends of said baking chamberare closed, means for reopening said outlet end of said baking chamberand de-activating said cavity and means for removing the baked productformed in said baking chamber from said chamber.
 9. Apparatus accordingto claim 8 wherein said closure means are constructed of microwavereflective material.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 8 whErein saidclosure means for said nozzle is a slideable member positioned withinsaid baking chamber.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein saidmeans for removing said baked product from said baking chamber is saidslideable member.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 8 including a shapedmember disposed within said baking chamber and extending axiallytherethrough to define a hollow in said baked product.
 13. Apparatusaccording to claim 12 in which said shaped member is constructed ofmicrowave reflective material.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 12wherein said shaped member is tubular and the outlet end of said tubularmember is disposed within said baking chamber and further includingmeans for moving an edible material through said tubular member. 15.Apparatus for the production of baked goods comprising a nozzle having adischarge opening and adapted to extrude a fluid batter, a bakingchamber positioned relative to the discharge end of said nozzle toreceive said batter, said baking chamber having an open outlet end andbeing constructed of microwave transparent material, a moveable closuremember for said outlet end, a slideable member mounted in said bakingchamber and adapted to close off the inlet end of said baking chamber, amicrowave cavity, said baking chamber being located in said cavity andcontrol means for sequentially admitting a pre-determined amount ofbatter through said discharge opening, sealing off said baking chamber,activating said microwave cavity for a time sufficient to bake saidbatter, and moving said slideable member through said chamber.